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THE GEOLOGY OF THE LIVERPOOL 
DISTRICT. 
By J. J. Fitzpatrick, 
Queen's Prizeman in Geology , Physical Geography, &c. 
The radius of fifteen miles around Liverpool includes the two 
important estuaries of the Mersey and the Dee, and it is bounded on 
the north by Southport, on the south by Chester, on the west by 
Talacre, in Flintshire, and on the east by Earlestown Junction on 
the London & North Western Railway. The exact limit has not 
been adhered to in this paper in the north and south line, which 
has been slightly exceeded so as to include Chester and Southport. 
The solid geology of this district consists to a large extent of 
rocks of the Triassic System. Within the radius the following 
formations are represented, in descending order : — 
Recent deposits, including blown sand, and Esturine deposits. 
Pleistocene, which includes Peat and Forest-beds and Boulder 
Clay. 
Trias. 
Permian. 
I Coal-measures. 
Carboniferous j Millstone Grit. 
I Carboniferous Limestone. 
The Carboniferous Limestone comes within the radius at 
Holywell in Flintshire, which is only 14 miles in a direct line from 
Liverpool. This formation is rich in characteristic fossils, including 
Spirifev and Productus, with corals and encrinites. This is the only 
locality in which the limestone comes within the limited area. 
The Millstone Grit formation is usually a hard and durable 
sandstone, often coarse-grained, which is not developed to any 
extent in the district, and it is therefore not regarded as of special 
importance. The quartz grains of which it is composed vary in 
size and many are angular and sub-angular. It occurs at Knowsley 
Park, and also at Grimshaw Delf, near Upholland, where it is 
